How did such congratulations ring hollow? Like heโd done nothing worthy of praise. It shook Gill to his core. Perhaps Mistel did mean it. But it meant worse than nothing to him. Heโd done so much. So much more than this boy, left to mind a mere market stall. How he had worshipped every word spoken from it once, like scripture or poetry. Breath bated as he waited for the next line.
But those lips now held back all that could break him. Could shatter everything he had worked for. How much had he told him? Everything. Every damned thing had been whispered like a prayer, never to be uttered again. Terror set in.
โThank you.โ He prayed to the Goddess that he wouldnโt be seen through, that his eyes wouldnโt betray the smile on his face. Oh how thankful he was for it, giving some edge he might be able to use. To gain some footing in spite the feeling of his heart falling through his chest.
โAnd to answer your question, what would it be to simply carry on my fatherโs work now? I only came to the islands to attend university. But, if Iโm to learn, what better way than to throw myself into the deep end?โ Gill shrugged. โI thought that would have been obvious?โ
ย ย What was obvious to Mistel was that there had come about a great shift in the young man across from him, sometime within the year they had been apart. A drastic transformation-- for one so concerned with details as he-- in his mannerisms, motivations... a cutthroatedness that sullied his once admirable ambition. It was unflattering on him.
ย ย It felt very uncomfortably like looking into a mirror, down to the smile he knew meant nothing unless reflected in his eyes.
ย ย Mistel was trying to leave that man behind.
ย ย โSo youโve no intention of returning? That is a shame... itโs a beautiful town, Harmonica.โ
ย ย โWhich is not, of course, to say that Leuda is without its merits. I lived there too, for a time. Quite recently, in fact.โ
ย ย Anxiously adjusting his cuff links for the umpteenth time, Mistel took a final look in the mirror, and decided this would simply have to do. Hopefully it would please his fickle pr-... erm, lover. He staunchly refused any more pink than this.
[๐] โ People (mainly Neil) usually liked to make fun of Georgiaโs naming conventions. According to them, it was too simple, too childish, or too on the noseโฆ it was refreshing to see this guy not do the same. Maybe he liked it, or maybe he was just keeping it out of convenience. Either way, she was glad for the lack of teasing.
When he pulls out his money, Georgia goes to take it, only to pause when she hears what he calls her. Lady Horse-Mistress. Ladyโฆ Horse Mistress.
Well. That was, uhโฆ yeah. Definitely a nickname.
โF-Feel free to call me Georgia!โ She laughs nervously, not quite sure if she should feel flattered or weirded out by the fact thatย โLady Horse-Mistressโ was the first name to come to mind when he saw her. She wasnโt that much of a horse fanatic, was she?ย โAnd hey, itโs no problem at all! Iโd love to keep an eye on her for you.โ
He offers up extra payment, and Georgia waves the idea off.ย โOh, thatโs alright. No delivery paymentโฆ neededโฆโ Upon hearingย โMargaret Farmโ, she trails off, unable to shake the sense of familiarity the name gave her. Obviously it was one of the farms on the island, but who ran it againโฆ?
[ +5,000G bc you can keep ur money Misty she insists ]
New Balance: 184,433G
ย ย Alas, proper introductions meant that Mistel could no longer expect any more Mister Gentlemans. A pity, as he appreciated a bit of playful teasing. Coupled with her sense of humor, and the consideration she so clearly showed to her horses, he found himself surprisingly fond of Georgia, especially for only having just met her.
ย ย Perhaps it was Eliseโs influence. He was finding people far easier and more pleasant to talk to, as of late. It may have been that his opinion of them in general was gradually changing, thanks to her love and tender consideration.
ย ย โVery well,โ he placed the remainder back in his billfold and returned it to his pocket, not about to raise a fuss over money saved.ย โIn that case, you have my thanks, and assurance I shall be by to collect Miss Cream in due time.โ
ย ย ย โAh, and my name-- itโs Mistel.โ
ย ย โI am the proprietor of a shop on the island, as well-- Dupont Antiques. Do feel free to stop by any time, especially if I can be of assistance in the location or restoration of anything.โ He would make certain to give her a discount, if appropriate, in exchange for her generosity.
Elise was perplexed as he spoke. Venue? What on earth did he mean by that? Regardless of her train of thought, she did nothing to hold back the frown on her face, even as he placed the security of something so valuable in her hand. Did they really have to part? They were having a perfectly good evening together as is.
But, she supposed, she did deserve her own gift after all. The thought was enough to remove her pout rather quickly. Heโd be back with her soon enough and sheโd find out what he meant. She hoped there would be something to.. sweeten the deal.ย โIf youโre sure, Caro.โ
Finally closing her fingers around the key, she adjusted her hand bag, securing it in a pocket.ย โYou canโt dare be late.โ A quick peck against his lips added charm to her teasing.ย โI love you.โ
Elise quickly moved to the door, waiting for his own goodbye, however it might come out, before leaving.
She only had a few hours, thankfully everything was planned already. Her outfit, make up, hair. She would look absolutely darling.. So long as her choices were appropriate.
ย ย โ...And I, you.โ
ย ย Mistel felt a degree of guilt, cancelling arrangements with those he had practiced for weeks on what was to be the day of the performance-- but he compensated each in full, as promised, both for their trouble and the inconvenience.
ย ย As he no longer had an accompaniment, he was forced to change the piece he planned to play, as well. Eliseโs sensibilities and aesthetics were both rather baroque in nature... likewise, he dearly hoped the same for her taste in music.
ย ย When she arrived, he would be waiting, a cracking fire illuminating two wooden chairs he retrieved from the attic, upon one of which he sat, cello already braced-- a bit tightly, in his nervousness-- between his knees.
ย ย โPlease, ah... have a seat,โ he smiled somewhat shyly, gesturing delicately with his bow to the chair opposite, a box of chocolates and bouquet of red roses awaiting her upon it.
Though he couldnโt see it, Elise was grinning ear to ear into his jacket at his proclamations of love. Her face so pressed against his chest, there was a chance he might not hear her say it back should she stay there. So it was with great reluctance that she pulled away from him, a hand straying from his back to delicately wipe the remaining tears away.
โTi amo, caro.โ Her hand rested against his cheek once she was confident all remnants of his outburst were gone, and she opted to place a kiss against his lips, ever so delicately. Elise would never have seen it beforehand, during their first meetings. But Mistel was almost like glass. Delicate, beautiful but so, so incredibly fragile. Just touching him made her feel as though he might break under so much as a shred of pressure.
She would simply have to protect him, even at the cost of her pride if she had to. Whatever he had protected himself with before her seemed to have been chipped away with her attention and affection. Elise would replace it, gladly.
โI do wonder how you intend to top this with your own gift?โ Her gentle smile curled upward slightly, an eyebrow raised. Quite frankly she didnโt care about what he had to offer her, so long as there was chocolate and his attention she didnโt quite mind.
ย ย "Iโve no delusions my own will hold... so much as a candle to this,โ he chuckled softly, freeing a hand of his own to press hers more firmly to his cheek. He remained in a tentative sate of suspended disbelief-- almost certain that if he closed his eyes a moment too long, they would open again to find this all a beautiful dream. Her touch provided reassurance he needed desperately.
ย ย โIt would seem my plans have changed, however, as I've found a much better venue for it,โ he said vaguely, before gently pulling away. Retrieving the keys from his pocket, he detached one of the pair from the ring, taking her hand and pressing it into the palm meaningfully.
ย ย โ...I have matters which require immediate attending. Meet me back here at eight o'clock, my love. Do not be a minute late.โ Every second apart from her would be his greatest agony.
He could recall the way that voice had whispered into his ear like it was yesterday. And the shiver that ran down his spine back then, from his whisper, was mimicked perfectly. Though this time there was no thrill, no wonder as to what the charming boy from the library would do or say next. There was dread.
Of course he would be here. The islands, no matter how much he had travelled, was his home. Mistel belonged here, with his new love. Gill didnโt.
He had to take a deep breath, not that it did anything to calm his nerves, even as he dared approach the jewellery stall, smile still wide but his fist, clenched in his pocket.
โItโs nice to see you again-โ it wasnโt,ย โI was just taking a look around. The mayor of Leuda should take an interest in the founding celebration, shouldnโt he?โ
He had to prove something. Prove that he hadnโt fallen apart after he left, in spite of what the dying look in his eyes said, what the taste of ash on his tongue suggested. Gill had done fine, fantastically even. He was accomplished.
But it was dwarfed. Simply by how.. happy Mistel looked. Content. That was a look Gill had never seen before.
ย ย The way his whisper raised the hairs on the back of the otherโs neck told Mistel everything he needed to know.
ย ย โAh, I see...โ Drawing away to take the seat across from him, he tapped his chin in a facsimile of thought, not at all bothering to be discreet about his teasing. โIt is because you require my assistance in Mathematics, but are too shyย to ask me directly, isnโt it.โ
ย ย He watched the older boy flounder with barely concealed delight, propping his chin upon a hand as his victimโs pretty lips opened and closed like a fish.
ย ย There was no need for such flustering. It wasnโt as if he would bite.
ย ย โI- I-I do just fine in it, thank you!!โ
ย ย Unless asked veryย nicely.
ย ย โYour marks last exam claimed otherwise,โ came his immediate counter, cool and in complete dismissal of the fact he had made but two higher on it-- for a perfect score, of course. Whether or not his classmate caught on to the excuse was irrelevant. Mistel was capable of making it work in his favor, either way.
ย ย โ...I would not necessarily be opposed, you know. To helping you study.โ He met and held that piercing gaze with intention, his own equally as scrutinous. Seduction was a delicate game, but it was one that, even at the tender age of seventeen, Mistel had already nearly perfected. โPerhaps, tomorrow after class, we might meet here again to compare notes? That is, unless...โ
ย ย He reached to slowly trail a fingertip up the spine of the book still brandished as a barrier between them, hooking the top edge and gently guiding it down to the the table.
ย ย โ...You prefer somewhere more quiet.โ Intimate.
ย ย Your move, Mr. Student Council President. His place, or yours...?
ย ย โAh... I see. I suppose congratulations are in order, then.โ What luck, for good or ill, that Mistel had moved back to Arcadia before his instatement.
ย ย โI must say, I am surprised you didnโt take over for your father,โ he had always been so passionate about it, so eager to help the mayor in any way he could. He had confessed as much, in the quiet hours of the night, wrapped around him after one of many study sessions turned sleepovers, turned into something more.
ย ย โ...But pleased to learn youโve done so well for yourself.โ If what stood before him, slack-shouldered and weary to the bone, could be considered such. What had become of the hawk-eyed, resilient schoolboy he left behind in Castanet?
ย ย His thoughts strayed unbidden to that last letter, unwittingly given to him the day before he and and Iris left, hidden somewhere amongst his possessions in her care. Still unopened, a year later.
ย ย โI have no doubt you shall successfully continue Mayor Huntโs legacy, and do your father proud.โ
[๐] โ The tenderness with which he regarded the horse caused a stirring in her heart, and the corners of Georgiaโs mouth lift up into a soft smile as she watches the heartwarming display. The way he slowly approached her, gently and at an angle (very, very important with horses)โฆ the upturning of his hand, and the other careful, practiced movements he madeโฆ seeing all of that, there was no doubt in her mindโ this guy definitely knew his way around horses.
And when he, a man so blatantly collected and sophisticated, bursts out into a fit of downright giggling, Georgia canโt help but laugh a little herself. It was unexpected, but kind of endearing. Animals always had ways of bringing the softer sides out of people.
She follows him inside of the enclosure, walking up behind him as he turns to ask his question. In doing so, he earns a teasing smirk from her.ย โWow, havenโt you ever been told itโs rude to ask a ladyโs age? Iโd have thought thatโd be common knowledge for you, mister gentleman.โ Her voice is light, and the comment is very obviously joking in nature.ย
Still, she feels the need to clarify. Canโt risk offending a customer, and Goddess knows she gets misunderstood enough already. โHeh, kiddinโ! But to answer your question, this lass is about five years young. As for her name, I havenโt decided on anything permanent, in case her adopter wanted to give her a new one, butโฆ I have taken to callinโ her Cream.โย
ย ย He chuckled at her jest, thinking it honestly quite clever. The name, however, was quaint, somewhat childish... and whatever was with women naming their horses after food?
ย ย โIf that is the name to which she has been accustomed, then that is what it shall remain.โ It was perfect. She would be right at home alongside his belovedโs gelding-- after they had been properly introduced, of course.ย
ย ย Mistel gave the mare a final affectionate pat before retrieving his billfold, the inside of which he found unusually bare. He supposed he had gone a bit overboard with the silverware. Thankfully there remained enough to cover her cost, and a modest tip for the attendant.
ย ย ย โYour payment, Lady Horse-Mistress.โ
ย ย โ...And my deepest apologies for any inconvenience, but might I trouble you to hold her for me until the festivities have concluded? If that isnโt a possibility, I would be more than happy to pay for her delivery to Margaret Farm, on Arcadia.โ
Though the size of her stall was far from impressive, Minori had felt rather proud of the setup she managed to complete. It was her first time trying anything like this on her own, and so far, everything was right in order. Now, if she could only remember all the tips from her customer service handbookโฆ
Noticing someone approaching her stall, Minori gave the person a small nod in acknowledgement as she mustered up a polite smile. โW-welcome! Please, take your time.โ
ย ย Mistel delicately turned one of the owl pendants over in his fingers. It might not have appealed to his personal aesthetics, but he could easily admire the artistry and skill that had gone into creating it. He had use for such a steady hand in the restoration aspect of his business, and considered telling her as much-- but thought better of it, as even the suggestionย he had attempted to steal Eliseโs newest hire from under her nose might land him in all sorts of trouble... and none of them the good kind.
ย ย โYouโre selling yourself short-- I do hope you realize. The craftsmanship of these is marvelous, and indicative of remarkable talent.โ He gently set it back down on the table, turning his gaze to her with a vague, but good-humored smile.
ย ย โAsk twice as much of the next person who is intrigued by them. This is simply a friendly suggestion, of course, and entirely up to your discretion... but I have little doubt such a leap of faith in yourself would be met with grand success.โ
ย ย โAh, thatโs right. As for myself, however, I would like...โ
Pressed Flower Cards (x2), one of each flower available.
Framed Pressed Flower (x2), in Peony and Hydrangea.
Sheep Cake, to appeal toย @piccola-caraโโs sweet tooth.
[๐] โ Straight and to the point. The answer was almost instantaneous, and the confidence with which it was uttered gave Georgia a bit more comfort about this young man. His smile was light and mysterious, certainly not enough to glean his character from, but the eyesโฆ they were sincere, and those never lied.
Still, it didnโt hurt to carry a healthy amount of caution.
At his request, Georgia takes a moment to consider before giving a light nod.ย โโฆSure, be my guest.โย
She then opens the paddock for him to step into. Georgia was curious in seeing how he interacted with themโ if he could back up that confident claim of his. Plus, she didnโt think he posed any threat to her horses. If he did, she was here and ready to protect them.
ย ย With a gracious nod in return, he proceeded into the enclosure, his finely oiled boots sinking into the new Spring muck the horses had churned with their hooves. The familiar, not entirely unpleasant aroma of their leavings greeted him full force, growing stronger as he neared. The horses themselves seemed generally unperturbed by his presence-- they were clearly well-socialized-- but he exercised proper equine etiquette out of courtesy for them, all the same.
ย ย He approached the cremello from a calculated angle, so that she might see him coming and not feel threatened by it, with calm, collected confidence. His tone was even and friendly as he spoke sweet nothings all the way, presenting a relaxed, upturned palm for her to sniff. Once she did so and showed no overt signs of distress-- only mild curiosity-- Mistel gradually closed the remaining distance, his other hand coming up to gently stroke her muscular neck.
ย ย โThat does it, darling. What a handsome beast you a--โ
ย ย His praise dissolved into bubbling laughter as she snuffled his cheek, his hair, the rarity of which none present would be aware. Once his giggles subsided, he turned his lilac gaze, filled with a warmth that had not been there before, back on her owner.
ย ย โHow old is she, if I may ask...? Does she have a name?โ
Persia wasnโt sure what these booths were but seeing that she could show humans her favorite objects, why not participate? Perhaps she could learn more about how they interacted amongst each other and, if she was lucky, she could pick up on a few habits. Just small things that would help her, well, fit in. It had become increasingly obvious to her that life under the sea was plenty different from the land dwellers.ย
โThese are called dinglehoppers!โ
She had heard other booth owners calling out into the crowd and decided to do the same. It must have been normal if others were doing it. And for an added demonstration, she grabbed one of the forks dinglehoppers and began combing and twisting her hair with it.
โ Starfish Wishes Dinglehoppers โ
โช Ribbon Tiedย [x5] - 1,000G
ย ย โช (5) Dinglehoppers tied in a pink ribbon.
โช Full Dinglehopper Setย [x3] - 2,000G
ย โช (1) Dinglehopper and a bunch of other items found with it. The uses are unknown.
โช Silver Setย [x2] - 2,200G
ย โช Real silver dinglehoppers! Comes with weird tiny fans (edges dulled over time).
โช Piaโs Favorite [x3] - 2,000G
ย โช The dinglehopper looks like a trident. The booth owner must like mermaids for this to be her favorite. Comes with a tiny fan (edges dulled over time) and two unknown objects. Why are they always paired?
โช The Royal Setย - [x1] - 5,000G
ย โช A set fit for the royal family.
ย ย Why, this was all antique silverware-- from the nineteenth century, and earlier! Did this young woman not realize what she had? Upon closer observation, clearly she did not, as she seemed to have a dinner fork... tangled in her hair.
ย ย While he could do little in the way of reselling those outside of a full set, Mistel could easily melt them down, or refashion them into surprisingly tasteful jewelry, as they were. My goodness, these even had their original ivory handles!
ย ย No, she was not aware of what she had. Notย at all, indeed.
Ribbon Tied (x1)
Full Dinglehopper Set (x3)
Silver Set (x2)
Piaโs Favorite (x1)
The Royal Set
ย ย โPardon me, Miss. I would like to purchase these, erm...ย dinglehoppers, if I may." Mistel counted out his payment on the table between them, meaningfully laying a business card for Dupont Antiques atop it.
ย ย โ... And please, do feel free to contact me if you happen across anything similar in the future. I would be most interestedย in taking them off of your lovely hands.โ
Admittedly, this wasnโt his thing. Well, with troubles regarding legality aside, it wasnโt a bad opportunity to unload on some various nicks-and-knacks heโd accumulated over several means. There was no point in leaving them to sit in a storage closet somewhere.
So, settled somewhere outside the foray, heโd set up a rather inconspicuous looking booth with a small placard to avoid second glances. Itโs the best way to avoidโฆ unsavory characters, like lawmen, for instance.
Reclining leisurely and biding his time with filing his nails, he doesnโt pay much of a second glance outside of his meticulous perfectionism, blending into the scenery with boredom seeping into his body language.
โDonโt be fooled by the name. Thereโs something for everybody.โ
ย ย Although it was the delectable looking tea that had initially caught his eye, Mistel found unexpectedly much to hold his interest at this particular booth, given the general theme of its wares. The young man walked a fine line between skepticism and belief in the โsupernaturalโ-- being Arcadian born but primarily raised on the Mainland-- but even he would not deny that empirical evidence was worth far more than oneโs personal predilections.
ย ย โHrm, let us see... I would like to purchase these, please.โ
Stress-Me-Not Tea, for himself, naturally.
Leather-Bound Journal, to be sent to his sister @flowerpowernovelist.
Dust Bunnies (x2), one for the shop, another for @piccola-caraโs home.
ย ย As for what the attendant had on offer otherwise... Needless to say, it was in his best interests not to even attempt to play coy, as Mistel had worked for a time at Wall Market, himself-- aware of all that it was, in spite of its present proprietorโs (admittedly endearing) obliviousness, well before he signed on.
Liar Liar Ring, after a preliminary test, of course.
The Coming Flame, for we all know what it was that curiosity killed.
ย ย โ...And theseย as well, if you would be ever so kind.โ
[๐] โ Georgia turns towards the sound of a new voice, initially caught off guard by the sight of the sophisticated young man it belonged to. She didnโt think someone like him would want anything to do with a stall like hers, but when he points out the white horse she had up for adoption, she perks up a bit.
โOh, you want this beauty?โ She says with the utmost pride, strolling over to pet the horse on its side. Her coat was shimmering and silky smooth, a testament to the high quality care Georgia had given it.ย โWell, she can be yours for 5,000Gโฆ a lot cheaper than the norm, but youโll be gettinโ a great companion out of it! Iโd call it a steal, really.โ
She gives an affectionate smile as she gently rubs the mare, cooing at her for a bit before turning back to the customer.ย โI have to know, thoughโฆ are you prepared to take on the responsibility of horse care?โ
At this point, Georgia shifts into full-blown interrogator mode. โDo you have a place for it to live? Any other horses, or prior experience with โem?โ
ย ย โI have,โ he answered with a mild, but sincere smile, to all of the above.
ย ย He did not fault her in the least for her precaution. It was an exceptional responsibility, to care for an animal-- and while he had not owned one himself before Rosie, Mistel had attended a number of finishing schools over the years at which learning to ride and properly care for a horse had been part and parcel.ย
ย ย While it was likely she would be receiving the majority of her care from Eliseโs recently hired help-- as the mare would, naturally, be boarding with her beloved Schnitzel at the Margaret Farm stables-- Mistel fully intended to visit her every day after work, and see to it personally that she was ridden frequently.
ย ย โMay I...?โ He made to move around the booth, and join her by the makeshift paddock.
Damn it Luna. Since he drank that stupid lemonade he hadnโt been able to stop smiling. And it was really beginning to hurt his damned cheeks. What had she done to it? He certainly wasnโt happy about anything that was going on right now.
Everyone else was smiling back as he walked too.. Maybe this was good. This was a public event. He was the mayor after all, he should look happy and smile at all of his citizens..
He wasnโt really paying attention to where he walked, eyes taking a gander at the many different stalls. One pinkette was selling cakes and the like, Gill had to remember to loop back and get something for Luna. A man, some strange trinkets that looked.. suspicious.
And then his eyes landed on a jewellery stallโฆ ran by him. A girl head to toe in pink kissed him on the cheek before dashing off to Goddess knows where. He would have looked away, turned around and pretend he saw nothing.
But they locked eyes. And Gill was smiling about it.
โ.. Hello again.โ
Dammit he didnโt need this now.
ย ย ย Even dulled by the exhaustion he read on his face clear as day, obfuscated by fringe he had allowed to grow long since last they had seen one another, Mistel would have known those eyes anywhere.
ย ย He had felt them on him, as ever.
ย ย It happened so often as of late, he had begun to detect, with an incontestable degree of accuracy, whenever the other was looking at him. This was not to say, of course, that he minded whatsoever-- attention was welcome in any form he could receive it, and there were far worse things than having the lovely blue eyes of a handsome classmate on oneself.
ย ย It was on one such occasion, whilst perusing the stacks of the library, that Mistel felt him staring-- and surely enough, the older boy ducked back down behind his book, making a rather poor attempt at looking casual, once his own gaze strayed in his direction.
ย ย It was almost cute, how he thought he was being stealthy about it.
ย ย Making as though he were intending to leave, Mistel strode past his table, only to double back, out of sight-- away from those eyes-- and lean over to murmur in his ear.
ย ย โIโve seen the way you look at me.โ
ย ย The sense of dรฉjร vu was nearly too much for him handle. Mistel had to force a smile, to meet the otherโs own.
ย ย โ...Hello, Giles. Fancy meeting you here.โ
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